Hydel Power Generation Under Review As Inflows Into Srisailam Dip

KURNOOL: With inflows into the Srisailam reservoir declining sharply, officials are considering suspending hydel power generation at the right and left bank power stations to conserve water for drinking needs.

Inflows from the Jurala project have fallen significantly over the past two days, prompting authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to reassess water use for power generation. Officials said priority would be given to drinking water requirements in downstream areas if the declining trend continued.

At present, 48,512 cusecs of water is being used for power generation, while another 11,528 cusecs is being released for canal requirements. Officials estimate that hydel generation is consuming nearly 5 tmc ft of water a day.

“If we continue power generation at this pace, the available water may not suffice even for drinking purposes in the coming months,” said S. Kabir, Superintending Engineer, Water Resources Department, Kurnool. “Looking at the present scenario, there may not be even a single drop available for irrigation. Priority will be given only to drinking water requirements,” he said.

The Srisailam reservoir has a full storage capacity of 215.807 tmc ft and currently holds 178.74 tmc ft. Officials said the reservoir had received around 180 tmc ft so far this season and warned that continued power generation could put further pressure on available reserves.

The situation in Kurnool and Nandyal districts remains grim, with several reservoirs recording low storage levels. Agricultural activity has been severely affected by inadequate water availability and erratic rainfall.

Releases to reservoirs such as Sunkesula, Avuku and Velugodu are also unlikely unless the Srisailam storage position improves. The situation contrasts sharply with last year, when the Srisailam gates were lifted three times during the same period following heavy inflows.

Farmers said they were unable to take up seasonal crops due to the water shortage. “We raised chilli nurseries by investing money, but there is no water to transplant them into fields. We are completely helpless,” said C. Umamaheswara Reddy, a farmer from Velugodu.

Agricultural experts said only around 20 per cent of the normal paddy area had been cultivated so far, while cotton, groundnut and pulses had recorded around 15 per cent coverage. The decline in paddy cultivation has also pushed up Sona Masuri rice prices in Kurnool markets amid reduced supplies.

Officials said suspending power generation could help conserve nearly 5 tmc ft of water a day. A final decision is expected within a day or two, depending on inflow trends and water requirements.

Water storage levels on August 9:

Irrigation Project                Full Capacity (tmc ft)            Present Storage (tmc ft)

Tungabhadra Dam                      105.788                                75.64

Gajuladinne Project                    1.865 (Gross)                         2.46

Sunkesula Barrage                     1.235                                       0.688

Krishnagiri Reservoir                  0.164                                       0.013 

Jurala Balancing Reservoir          0.266                                     0.07

Srisailam Reservoir                       215.80                                   178.74

Velugodu Balancing                      16.95                                      2.984

Gorukallu Reservoir                     12.50                                        2.458

Owk Reservoir                              4.148                                         0.767

Varadaraja Swamy Project          0.389                                         0.027

Pandikona Reservoir                    1.126                                         0.56

Pulikanuma Reservoir                  1.232                                          0.04